


Safe Space

by StarrySummers04



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Episode: s01e03 Texas Proud, Insecure TK Strand, M/M, Sweet Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star), TK Strand Has Issues, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29265282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySummers04/pseuds/StarrySummers04
Summary: TK is still coming to terms with the events that caused him and his dad to leave New York for Austin in the first place and maybe his coping methods aren't the healthiest, but he's finally found someone that makes him feel safe.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 12
Kudos: 81





	Safe Space

**Author's Note:**

> So, I started writing this story on February 9th, 2020...

TK felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders as soon as he admitted to Carlos about his relapse. The point in telling him hadn’t been so that Carlos felt bad about TK going crazy on him, it wasn’t Carlos’s fault when he didn’t know. When TK got home that night, he felt the most he ever had since before things had gone south with Alex.

* * *

“Tyler Kennedy, what the hell happened to your face?” Owen demanded as soon as his son walked through the door.

“I got in a fight.” TK replied. Owen raised an eyebrow. “At a bar.” TK elaborated.

“You were drunk?” Owen asked, incredulously.

“No!” TK stated.

“You were sober? TK, what is going on with you?”

“I don’t know, dad. I really don’t. I just wanted to feel something.” TK admitted.

“How do you feel, now that it’s over?” Owen checked.

“Worse.”

“Exactly. You need to find a healthier way of coping. Haven’t you been talking about this with your therapist?”

“Yeah, but this is the first time I’ve tried fighting as a way to cope and it’s not as if I started the fight, I was technically just defending myself. But it’s not my usual method.” TK replied, laughing as he thought about Carlos.

“So, what do you usually do?” Owen questioned. TK realised as soon as his dad asked that, maybe he shouldn’t have said anything. His dad didn’t need to know about his sex life.

“You’re not my therapist.” TK deflected.

“Sex.” Owen guessed.

“Dad, we’re not talking about this.”

“Fine, just promise me you’re being safe.” Owen begged. TK flushed bright red.

“Of course!” TK exclaimed before running off to his room. He didn’t want his dad to think of him as a slut, even though TK feels like he is. Although, the only person he’s been with since getting to Austin has been Carlos. There’s just something about the cop that he can’t get out of his head. TK really wished his head was in a better place right now, instead of still reeling from Alex. Carlos would make an amazing boyfriend and he already knows Owen really likes the guy but TK doesn’t want to screw things up any more than he already has.

* * *

Owen knew there was something going on between TK and Carlos, you would have to be blind not to notice the tension but if it was helping TK to stay focused then Owen was okay with it. He just wished TK could admit how he really felt about the police officer. Owen wouldn’t consider himself difficult to impress, it just wasn’t his fault that none of the guys TK had ever dated weren’t good enough for his son, TK just had a terrible taste in guys as they never struck Owen as the guy that was going to stick around and so far he’d been proven right. But he had a good feeling about Carlos.

* * *

Taking Michelle’s advice and asking TK out again was not something Carlos really wanted to do based on what had happened the last time he’d tried anything but considering he was so hung up on the firefighter, he didn’t really have anything to lose. The fact that TK agreed gave Carlos the biggest shock. It seemed ridiculous to Carlos how quickly he’d become attached to the firefighter but he’d always been a firm believer of when something or someone was meant to be then it would be obvious. It just seemed so typical that TK was currently afraid of commitment and that they would have to take things slow. Carlos was normally fine with that but with TK, it seemed as though he wanted to jump straight in without giving anything a proper thought and that scared him more than he would like to admit. TK was really looking forwards to going out with Carlos again, he didn’t really want to call it a date, Carlos had assured him that it was just two friends hanging out but the constant flirting got him thinking about how much he truly enjoyed spending time with Carlos and how really, he wouldn’t be against dating the police officer. He knew that he needed to get over what happened with Alex, but that was going to take time and he couldn’t expect Carlos to wait until he was ready for it, that wasn’t fair on Carlos. But TK also knew he wouldn’t be able to cope if Carlos moved on and found someone else.

* * *

“Dad, I need your advice about something.” TK started, his voice sounded small and scared. It reminded Owen of the day that TK came out.

“You’re actually coming to me for advice instead of bottling it up and hiding it?” Owen checked.

“Don’t make me regret this or I won’t tell you anything.” TK warned.

“My ears are open.”

“So, this guy I’ve been hanging around with has asked me out… and I don’t know if it’s too soon to get back out there. I don’t want to hurt the guy by not being ready, but at the same time, I don’t think I’d be able to cope if he moved on with someone else.” TK rambled.

“Why don’t you explain this to him and see what his thoughts are? There’s no harm in putting yourself out there as long as you’re being safe.” Owen advised. TK couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t normally go to his dad for relationship advice, he’d always preferred to deal with things himself but TK knew Carlos was something special and he didn’t want to jeopardise that. Just having the police officer in his life would be better than not, but TK couldn’t shake the feeling that he also wanted more out of the relationship than just sex. He just wasn’t sure he was in the right headspace at the moment.

* * *

Carlos took him to the bar where they’d dance together that first night after they met. “I thought if we went somewhere out in public instead of it just being the two of us, it might be better for you.” Carlos smiled as they sat down. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Just mineral water, please. I’m just trying to stay away from everything.” TK smiled.

“That’s fine, I’ll be right back.” Carlos winked at him before heading over to the bar. TK face dropped when he saw Judd and Grace arrive but he swapped seats with Carlos so that his back was to them, he didn’t want the argument he’d had with Judd to sour his evening with Carlos.

“Is everything okay?” Carlos checked, returning with their drinks.

“I had an argument with Judd during our shift and didn’t want to spend our evening looking at him.” TK explained.

“That’s fair.”

“Can we talk about us? Since you were brave enough to ask me out after I freaked out on you last time.” TK suggested.

“Of course. I can tell you’ve got something you want to get off your chest.” Carlos gestured for TK to carry on.

“I’ve been thinking how after everything that happened in New York, it’s too soon to begin dating again yet.”

“I’m more than happy to be your friend if that’s what you want.” Carlos offered.

“Friends who have sex?”

“Is that a completely foreign concept in New York? Here we call it friends with benefits.” Carlos joked.

“I feel safe with you, and I don’t want to let that go. But I couldn’t possibly say when I will feel ready for a relationship again.” TK explained.

“Then we’ll take things slow.” Carlos assured.

“I can’t ask you to wait that long.”

“You’re not asking me to do anything. I think you’re going to be worth the wait, Tyler.” Carlos smiled. TK gingerly took Carlos’s hand in his and smiled back. Maybe this time, he wouldn’t get his heart broken.


End file.
